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#5-10-15 Prayer Challenge

People keep asking about the #5-10-15 prayer challenge being posted on Twitter. So I wanted to give the basics and invite you all into some accountability with simple daily prayer.

HOW IT ORIGINATED:

At Steubenville San Diego. I was in prayer Sunday morning and wanted to give teens a way to start a prayer life that is easy, simple, and accountable. So God birthed #5-10-15

HOW TO START:

WHAT: Teens are asked to start with 5 minutes of prayer a day. I suggested beginning with the mass readings. You can find them on your iphone app or go on Google (Search “daily readings” or go directly to usccb.org/bible/readings )

HOW: Read through the daily reading three times slowly. And let God speak (through scripture) into your life. This is called Lectio Divina, a Latin term for divine readings.

Basically, put yourself in the scripture scene, read through it slowly 3x. Find the phrase that speaks to you. Sit with it. Reflect on it. And ask God: “what do you want to say to me about that?”…then journal. The point is not to memorize scripture. The point is to be with God. And begin to know his voice. If nothing is coming to you in prayer, remember RRR:

Relate-Receive-Respond. After you read:

RELATE. Share with God what is going on in your heart and life. (I’m distracted. I’m tired. I’m struggling with.) Prayer is a conversation with God. Simple.RECEIVE. Spend some time listening to what God wants to say to you. I encourage you to write it in your journal… I know you are thinking: Mary, I don’t hear God like that!? shhhh. Take a deep breath. Get in touch with your heart. Be silent. Trust and write whatever comes. It will seem like it’s your voice at first, but it is actually the holy spirit within you.)RESPOND. Write back to God your response… before you know it your 5 minutes is up!

WHY 5-10-15 ?:

It’s a Prayer Progression! —-> 5min-10min-15min

Prayer is a spiritual muscle we have to build. You don’t run a marathon without building up to it–one mile at a time. So begin with five minutes a day for a full week (7 days). Everyday. Without fail. No missing. (Meaning I don’t care if you sit there and feel nothing). I sometimes call that “Butt Prayer”--I don’t feel anything, but I am sitting my tushie down on this chair as an act of obedience… sometimes just telling God: I need you.

After 7 days of consistent 5 minutes a day. You then move to 10 minutes a day for 7 days. And on up to 15. You can not move to the next time slot of prayer until you are consistent for at least one week.

The Final Goal is 15 minutes of prayer consistently with God…. If you miss a day you go back down to a lower time slot until you have built that prayer muscle.

***(For adults, YM, and Teens who already have a strong established prayer life then begin with 15-20-30)***

STAY CONNECTED

I want to hear how it is going. I am tweeting what scripture phrase stood out to me daily. I ask you to do the same #5-10-15 #prayerchallenge @MaryBielski. I will retweet your prayers as a way to encourage other teens and adults to join in.

Invite your friend.

Invite your youth group.

The time is now.

I AM IN THIS WITH YOU—I travel around the country and teens want to know God’s voice but don’t know how. It begins with saying God is important enough to give him my time and attention. Meaning:

This challenge is SERIOUS. NOT FOR WIMPS Disciples
that are tired of saying I want to know God intimately but struggle to spend with him silently. This Challenge is for the youth minister always doing, a teen who feels luke-warm. This challenge is for you and me. It is time. Let us begin.